Special Defect Report

Meadow Farm Crowdecote

On behalf of Mr. Stephen Campeau

Ref:0434 1 Introduction

1.1 Instruction/ remit This report has been prepared solely for the benefit of the named client. No liability is accepted to any third party. Where work has been carried out to the property in the past, the surveyor cannot warrant that this has been done in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations, British and European Standards and Codes of Practice, Agreement Certificates and statutory regulations. This report assumes the property is to be sold with the benefit of vacant possession, with freehold tenure, on completion of the purchase. Your legal adviser should be able to confirm that there are no unusual or particularly onerous restrictions in relation to the property.

1.2 Limitations Comment cannot be given on areas that are covered, concealed or not otherwise readily visible. There may be detectable signs of concealed defects, in which case recommendations are made in the report. In the absence of any such evidence, it must be assumed in producing this report that such areas are free from defect. If greater assurance is required on these matters, it will be necessary to carry out exposure works. Unless these are carried out prior to exchange of contracts, there is a risk that additional defects and consequent repair costs will be discovered at a later date.

1.3 Description of property The property is a 19th century rural two storey barn with a latter addition of an extension to the left hand elevation. The inspection was carried out on the 28th. of February 2018.

1.4 Survey details My instructions were to inspect the property to gauge the condition of a number of cracks evident to the internal and external masonry of both external and partition walls and comment on their condition and whether there is any need for further investigation or remedial repair. 2 Investigation & analysis

2.1 Inspection The property is constructed of traditional build of solid rubble filled limestone walls of a thickness of 500mm both of coursed and random style construction with supporting gritstone lintels and quoins with some replacement concrete lintels at ground floor level. The two storey barn is 19 meters in length and 15 meters in width and based on this vernacular type of barn construction it is likely that it will be sat upon shallow stone footings (however, this can only be confirmed via a pit inspection). There are also three internal partition walls of the same construction with a solid concrete ground floor and a 1st floor constructed of none original traditional suspended timber floor formation. It was also evident that the original roof has been completely replaced (vendor informed me this was carried out four years ago) with a new traditional cut roof with main purlins supporting common rafters with a modern underfelt below traditional stone tiles.

There is evidence of internal cracking at 1st floor level where the end and internal partition walls abut the main side elevations and evidence of cracking of the left hand end elevation wall coming away from the main sides of the property. At ground floor level there is no evidence of any such cracking and many of the walls at this level have been rendered internally around 30 years ago. The cracking at 1st floor level is wider at the top of the wall and tapers downwards with no evidence of this cracking continuing to the ground floor.

These cracks differ in width with the majority of them under industry standard BRE Digest 251 guidelines coming under both Category 4 and 5 which stipulates major remedial structural repair is necessary.

4 - Extensive damage which requires breaking-out and replacing sections of walls, especially over doors and windows. Windows and door frames distorted, floor sloping noticeably. Walls leaning or bulging noticeably, some loss of bearing in beams. Service pipes disrupted. Typical crack widths are 15 to 25 mm, but also depends on number of cracks.

5 - Structural damage that requires a major repair job, involving partial or complete rebuilding. Beams lose bearing, walls lean badly and require shoring. Windows broken with distortion. Danger of instability. Typical crack widths are greater than 25 mm, but depends on number of cracks.

The cracks to the internal walls and end elevations are commonly caused by roof spread where the load is excessive and causes the roof structure to push down on the supporting walls causing deflection outwards. This is why the cracks are considerably wider at the top of the walls and why there is no evidence of any such movement at ground floor level. The crack to the left hand end elevation is also only at 1st. floor level and suggests that this latter extension to the main part of the building is rotating away outwards which could be due to weaker footings compared to the rest of the original building. Right hand internal partition wall Crack to this internal wall is over 25mm in thickness

Central partition wall BRE Category 4 crack to internal wall Again, a large crack to this wall of 20mm which tapers to nothing at the base of the 1st. floor Crack to rear wall at corner of left hand side elevation. Crack ranging from 20mm to 40mm in thickness No evidence of ongoing deflection of wall from newly inserted roof purlin

Evidence of roof spread deflection to left hand end elevation. No evidence of structural movement to the 30 year old render at ground floor level 2.2 Conclusions and recommendations

As the roof has been replaced and the fact that the 30 year old render at ground floor level shows no signs of movement I surmise this movement is historical in nature with the roof spread being caused by the original roof structure which has since been removed. The cracks to the end elevation of the left hand side extension also show no signs of any recent ongoing movement as the new purlins which enter the end wall to this area show no evidence of coming away from the masonry. However, based on the severity of the width of the cracks, structural stabilising work should be carried out by a qualified Helifix or PCA accredited contractor to stabilise these cracks prior to any refurbishment of the property, this commonly involves the installation of stainless steel support bars with the use of a resin compound but may also involve some partial wall rebuilding where the size of the cracks is considered to be of a severity that support bars alone are not considered enough of a repair. Evidence which suggests rotation of the left hand end elevation means that this also may involve some form of underpinning to the left hand side elevation.

In my experience quotes for such works can differ considerably from competing contractors. Therefore, it is advisable that you obtain a number of quotes for such work prior to undergoing the main conversion of the building to help you budget accordingly. It is also imperative that the contractors are familiar with this type of vernacular type of construction and based on the important nature of such structural stabilising it is imperative that the work is covered by a company and insurance backed guarantee. These are usually given to cover a period between 15 and 30 years.